Normative Reference Standard for Handgrip Strength among Adolescent Students in South Punjab Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose: The study provided the age and gender-specific normative standard by using LMS technique and comparison with international reference values for the muscular strength by hand grip among adolescents of South Punjab, Pakistan. Design/Methodology/Approach: A cross sectional descriptive research design was adopted, 60 public high school with 2970 students aged 12-16 contributed. Hand grip strength was measured using (GRIPX Digital Hand Dynamometer). LMS method was used for calculating reference norms. Age and gender-specific smoothed percentile curves P5th to P95th were acquired for hand grip strength. Findings: The results revealed that the boys were higher in muscular strength than their counterparts, South Punjab’s adolescents were found lower in strength than the compared adolescents. Around 40% of the population is falling in the poor and very poor zone. Implications/Originality/Value: The current study presented the foremost age and gender specific hand grip strength percentile curves and provided the health benefit zones for the adolescent of South Punjab.